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16 August 2016 - Best Beer HQ

Epic Imp Session IPA Review

So it was my little brothers’ birthday the other month and I bought them both a bottle of this Epic Imp Session IPA. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with anything by Auckland brewery Epic and, because this was a so-called “session beer”, it’d be a good gateway beer for them into the wonderful world of IPAs.

The problem? I forgot to give it to them. The solution? I’ll drink ‘em both myself and write about it for Best Beer HQ. (Just between you and me, I reckon my wife thinks I forgot to give them their birthday presents on purpose!)

Now let’s see if Epic Imp is an epic success like The Lord of The Rings or an epic failure like John Carter or Waterworld.

ABV: 4.5%

Blurb on the bottle: Small and mischievous. Causing trouble, but in a playful way. Only found by the most interested and observant of people. Contained within. Summonzed [sic] by a master when needed. Possibly with the ability to grant wishes. But you must be prepared for the consequences. Uncontrollable.

Tastes like: This isn’t really a session beer at all, but a full-strength – if not overly aggressive – New Zealand-style IPA that smacks of sweet citrus fruits, pine, and resinous hops.

Except it is a “session” IPA, as evidenced by its comparative thinness of body, as well as the fact that I don’t have my usual beer buzz after finishing the first 500ml bottle.

Lucky I’ve got that second bottle in the fridge, then…

The verdict: Epic’s Imp session IPA punches well above its 4.5% ABV, boasting a supreme balance between sweetness, bitterness, and just being dank enough to keep most hop heads satisfied.

I’m a big fan of this beer.

Movie/beer pairing: As it turns out, this beer is epic like The Lord of The Rings (and because of its reduced alcohol content, Epic Imp is one beer you can drink during the first film’s extended run-time and not be completely shit-faced by the time it’s all over).